Machine for reducing railroad-rails



L t e 6 h S S t e e h S 2 .D. U 0 L O m S a 6 0 M o W MACHINE FOR REDUCING RAILROAD RAILS. No! 380,504.

Patented Apr. 8, 1888.

lili IIH UNrrE STATES PATENT SIDNEY MGCLOUD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,504,

dated April 3, 1868.

Application filed November 23, 1887. Serial No. 255,85l. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY MOGLOUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Reducing RailroadRails, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention has relation to that class of machines designed more especially for reducing railroadrails (particularly old steel rails) to plates or blanks, an example of this type of machine being illustrated in Letters Patent No. 350,833, granted to me and to Charles E. Doolittle, as my assignee, on the 12th day of October, A. D. 1886. A difficulty encountered in the practical working of a machine made in accordance with said patent was that the head of the rail was compressed in such manner that the metal thereof was extended in the direction of the length of the rail to a greater extent than was the metal in the flanges of the rail, so that there was a tendency of the rail to pass from the rolls in a curved shape. This unequal'extension of the metal of the rail in the direction of its length was due chiefly to the fact that when the compression was made upon the head portion the extension of the metal thereof in lateral direction was resisted by collars on the rolls and was hence forced to extend in the direction of the length of the rail. A further defect incident to thus unequally forcing the metal of the rail in the direction of its length and resisting its lateral extension was that the blank produced was not so broad as was desirable. For a variety of uses, particularly for the manufacture of nail'plates, it is of great importance that the finished blanks shall be as broad as possible, in order that they may be cut with but little waste. In the manufacture of plates from old rails by the machine illustrated in said former patent the blank after itleft the rolls there shown was reheated and then passed through ordinary reducingrolls to decrease its thickness; but the result of this operation was to give to the finished blank a width very little in excess of the billet that came from the rolls there shown, since the reducing-rolls served chiefly to extend the metal of the billet in the direction of its length.

My present invention has for one of its objects to provide a set of rolls adapted to compress the rails in such manner that such longitudinal extension of the metal as occurs shall be uniform in the several parts of the rail, thus insuring its delivery in straight form, and for its further object to enable a much wider blank to be produced than was possible with the machines illustrated in said patent. By the mechanism hereinafter described I am enabled to cause a much greater lateral extension of the metal of the rail during the reducing operation and without the necessity of reheating, and consequently am enabled to produce a blank of much greater commercial value for the manufacture of nailplates and other uses. of the blank I have attained not only by so forming the rolls that in the operation of producing a billet of uniform thickness they shall cause the metal of the rail to be more effect ively extended in lateral direction, but also by providing means whereby in the final pass or passes of the blank it shall be so guided through the rolls that the compressive action of the rolls shall be exerted to much more materially increase the width of the blank than was possible when the blanks were reduced between ordinary rolls in the manner heretofore practiced.

My invention consists in the various novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a set of rolls embodying features of my invention, the guides being omitted from this view. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical transverse section through cylindrical portions of the set of rolls, showing the guides for directing the blanks thereto. Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the cylindrical portions of the roils, showing the guides in proper position with respect thereto. Fig. 4 is a top view of the middle roll, showing the position of the lower diagonal guide with respect thereto.

In mypresent machine threerolls are shown, A, B, and O, denoting, respectively, the top,

This increased lateral extension ICO middle, and bottom rolls of the set, arranged, preferably, so as to give five passes to the rail in addition to the flat passes which are given by suitably-planed portions at the ends of the rolls. Each roll of the set will be journaled .and driven in Well-known manner, and near their ends the rolls A and should be provided with the collars a and c, which enter the annular groove b of the middle roll and serve to better keep the rolls in proper relative position.

The middle roll, B, is provided adjacent the the annular groove 1) with the broad shallow groove 1,ofa depth considerably less than that of the side of the rail-head, so that the railhead shall be compressed within this groove, and adjacent this shallow groove 1 the roll B is provided with a broad annular rib, 2, adapted to bear upon one side ofthe web of the rail. In the roll B, next the annular rib 2, is formed the deep annular groove 3, the side of which adjacent the rib 2 is inclined at a much less angle than is the opposite side of such groove, the purpose of this annular groove 3 being to receive and slightly bend one of the flanges of the rail.

Opposite the parts of the roll B just described the roll A is preferably formed with the fiat portion shown, since in the first pass of the rail through the machine the top roll, A, performs no function. The periphery of the bottom roll, 0, opposite the described portions of the middle roll, B, is provided with an annular groove, 0, adapted to receive one side of the rail-head,with a broad annular rib, 0, Opposite the rib 2 of the middle roll, B, and with the annular groove 0 adapted to receive one of the rail flanges, and ofsomewhat less depth than such flange in order to compress the same.

The portions ofthe rolls thus far described are those necessary to effect the first or initial pass, as at P, and it will be seen that when the rail in heated condition is placed between the rolls the lower side of the head will rest Within the annular groove 0 of the roll 0, while the opposite side of the head will be compressed within the shallow groove 1 of the middle roll, B, and as the rail-head is thus compressed the metal thereof will be extended in lateral direction into the space between the bottom of the shallow groove 1 and that portion of the roll 0 opposite thereto. By thus forming one of the rolls with a broad shallow groove to compress one side of the rail-head, and by forming the groove for the opposite side of the rail-head at a distance from the rib or collar c,an unob' structed space between the rolls is provided, into which the compressed metal of the railhead may be freely forced in lateral direction. At the same time that the head of the rail is being thus acted upon by the rolls the upper one of the rail-flanges is being bent by the long inclined side of the annular groove 3 of the middle roll,while the opposite flange of the rail is being compressed within the somewhat shallow groove 0 of the bottom roll, 0. After the annular groove 7 to receive one of the partially-compressed flanges of the rail, and with the annular rib 8, and opposite these portions of the middle roll the top roll, A, will be provided with the slightlyreduced portion or groove a, with the preferably V-shaped rib or fuller a opposite the annular groove 5 of the middle roll, with the broad annular rib a that extends over the annular rib 6 and partially over the groove 7 of the middle roll, and

with the annular groove on to receive the previously partially-bent flange of the rail. The bottom roll, 0, opposite thelast-described portions of the middle roll, B, is blank or plane, as such portion of this roll during the second pass of the rail performs no function. In the second pass of the rail,and through the parts of the rolls A and B last described, one side of the rail-head is received within the annular groove 5 of the middle roll, while the opposite side of the head, which has previously been compressed to a considerable extent, is further compressed by the V-shaped annular rib or fuller a", the result of this further compression of the rail-head being to force the metal thereof in lateral direction into the open space between the annular rib 4 of the middle roll and the reduced portion a of the top roll. While the head of the rail is being thus compressed the broad rib 6 of the middle roll and the broad rib or of the top roll are bearing upon the web of the rail, and at thesame time the portion of the broad rib a adjacent the annular groove aof the top roll serves to further bend over the flange of the rail which was partially bent in the first pass of the rail, and also compress and force in lateral direction the metal of the flanges which rest, respectively,within the annular groove 7 of the middle roll and annular groove to of the top roll.

It will be observed that the annular groove (1 of the top roll is arranged out of alignment with the groove 7 of the middle roll, the purpose of this arrangement being to produce a greater lateral extension of the rail-flanges as they are being compressed within the grooves.

In making the third pass, as at R, the partially compressed rail is run between the portions of the middle roll, 'B, and bottom roll, 0, next to be described. The middle roll, B, is formed with the broad rib 8, above described, with the raised rib or fuller (preferably V-shaped) 9, with the flat portions 10, with the raised rib or fuller 11, and with the flat portion 12; and the bottom roll, 0, is formed with the slightly-inclined portion 0 opposite the portion 8 of the middle roll, with the annular groove opposite the rib or fuller 9, with the annular rib a opposite the hat portion 10, with the annular groove c opposite the rib or fuller 11, and with the flat portion a corresponding with the opposite portion 12 of the middle roll. does not act upon the rail as it makes the third pass between the rolls, and although this top roll is shown as provided with annular ribs and grooves instead of a single blank portion, this construction is preferably followed merely to avoid the unnecessary cutting away of the roll. As the partially compressed rail is forced to make the third pass through the parts of the rolls B and Clast described, one side of the previouslycompressed rail-head rests within the annular groove 0 of the roll 0, and upon the opposite side of the raithead presses the web or fuller 9 of the middle roll, the result of this compression of the metal of the head being to cause the metal to extend in lateral direction into the unobstructed space between the portions 8 and 0* of the rolls B and G. "While the head portion of the rail is thus being acted upon the web is being compressed between the portions 10 and c of the rolls, and the flanged portion of the rail is being compressed within the annular groove 0 and by the rib or fuller 10, the efiect of this compression of the flanged portion being to force the metal of the flanges laterally into the unobstructed space between the portion 12 and c" of the rolls. By this pass this rail is broken down or reduced at both head and flange, expanding laterally in this free space between the rolls, and producing a symmetrical shape with double corrugation which is i substantially retained during the subsequent passes until in readiness for final pass through the flattening-rolls.

In making the fourth pass, as at S, the pre viousl y-com pressed rail is run between the top roll, A, and middle roll, B, the portion of the roll A which acts upon the rail during this fourth pass being provided with the flat part (P, with the annular rib a, with the flat part c with the annular rib a and with the fiat part (6, while opposite these parts of the roll A theroll B is formed with the rib or flat portion 13, with the annular groove 14, with the broad annular rib 15, with the annular groove 16, and with the annular rib 17. the ion rth pass the p reviousl y-comp ressed head portion of the rail will be further compressed within the annular groove 14 of the roll B by the rib a of the roll A, and the metal of this portion of the rail will be further extended in lateral di rection into the free space between the parts 13 and a of the rolls. At the same time the web of the rail will be compressed between the broad rib 15 of the middle roll, B, and the annular groove a of the roll A, while the flange portions of the rail will be compressed within the annular groove 16 and upon the rib 17 of the middle roll by the annular'rib a and flat portion a, of the top roll, the metal of the flange portion being forced laterally during this com- The top roll, A,-

In making pressive action of the roll into the unobstructed space between the parts 17 and a of the middle and top rolls. The roll 0, opposite that portion of the roll B which acts upon the rail during its fourth pass, is shown as formed of annular ribs and depressions corresponding to those upon the middle roll, this construction being followed simply to avoid the cutting away of the bottom roll.

In making the fifth pass the rail is run between the middle roll, B, and the bottom roll, 0, the portion of the roll B which operates upon the rail at this fifth pass being formed with the flat part 18, with the annular rib 19, with the depressed flat portion 20, with the annular rib 21, and with the slightly inclined and reduced portion 22, and the bottom roll, 0, is correspondingly provided with the annular rib c", with the annular groove 0*", with the broad annular rib c, with the annular groove 0, and with the inclined rib c. In making the fifth pass the partially-reduced rail will be placed between the last-described portions of the rolls B and O in such manner that the head portion of the metal, being further compressed between the parts 18 and 19 of the roll B and the parts 0 and c of the roll 0, shall be forced laterally into the unobstructed space between the parts 18 and c of these rolls, while at the same time the web portion of the rail will be compressed between the rib c and depressed portion 20 of the rolls, and the flange portion will be further compressed between the parts 0 and c of the roll 0 and the parts 21 and 22 of the roll B, the metal during this compressive action being allowed to extend laterally into the unobstructed space between the parts 22 and c" ofthe rolls Band C. It will thus be seen that during this fifth pass of the metal through the rolls B and G the unobstructed space be tween the parts 18 and c and the parts 22 and c of the rolls will allow a freedom of lateral extension of the metal, which would be impossible were the rolls provided at such points with collars. If desired, this fifth pass of the metal may be omitted, since the portions of the rolls by which it is effected are similar to those by which the fourth pass is made.

It will be readily seen that during the various passes of the metal through the rolls there will be, in addition to the lateral extension or broadening of the metal, an extension also lengthwise; but this, being well underst0od,has not been particularly referred to in describing the action of the various parts of the rolls. By forming the rolls so that no obstruction is offered to the lateral extension of the metal, particularly of the rail-head during the initial pass or passes, I have found that a much broader blank can be produced than is possible with any prior construction of which I am aware,and at the same time the'partiallycompressed rail will pass straight from the rolls.

Each of the rolls A, B, and C is shown as provided with the hat cylindrical portions A, B, and O, and between these portions the final pass or passes of the metal will be made for the purpose of further reducing the thickness of the blank and for giving thereto a greater width. Instead of passing the blank between the cylindrical portions ofthe rolls in a straight line, as has been heretofore the practice, I arrange diagonal guides D and D at points opposite the adjacent parts of the rolls A and B, and by preference also I place similar diagonal guides E and E at points opposite the adjacent parts of the middle roll, B, and bottom roll, 0. The purpose in thus employing one or both sets of diagonal guides is to deliver the partially-compressed blank to the reducing action of the rolls in such manner that as the thickness of the blank is diminished a much more material broadening thereof will be effected than would be possible were the blank fed in a straight line between the rolls. The guide D serves to direct the partially-compressed blank between the rolls A and B, while the guide D serves to receive the blank as it passes from the rolls. In like manner, also,the guide E serves to deliver theblank in diagonal direction between the rolls B and O, and the guide E receives such blank as it passes from these rolls.

It will be readily understood that other convenient forms of guides than those above illustrated may be employed for causing the blanks to travel diagonally between the rolls; but unless guides ofsome kind are employed the tendency of the metal to travel in a straight line cannot be avoided, nor can a uniform width of blank be obtained.

While I have described the preferred form and arrangement of rolls for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as restricting the invention precisely to these details, as it will be readily seen by the skilled mechanic that they can be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and features of the invention may be employed without its adoption as an entirety.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the pass, substan tially as at P, said rolls having grooves in which the head of the rail is compressed, and having an unobstructed open space at the side of said grooves wherein the lateral expansion of the metal can freely occur, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the pass, substantially as at P, the one roll having a broad shallow groove in which one side of the head of a rail is compressed, and the other roll having a deeper groove to receive the opposite side of the head of the rail, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the pass, substantially as at I, the one roll having a broad shallow groove in which one side of the rail-head is compressed and having a broad rib to bear upon the web of the rail, and having a deep groove with inclined face to receive and bend one of the rail-flanges, and the otherroll having a deep groove to receive one side of the rail-head and having a groove of less depth than one of the rail-flanges to receive and compress said flanges, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the pass, substantially as at Q. one of said rolls having a groove to receive one side of the partiallycompressed rail-head, and the other of said rolls being provided with a rib opposite said groove of the other roll, said rolls being formed with a broad and unobstructed space adjacent the tread of the rail-head, wherein said head may be freely extended, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the pass, substantially as at Q, said rolls having grooves to receive and compress the opposite flanges of the rail, said grooves being out of alignment with each other, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, a pair of rolls for effecting the third or following pass, substantially as at R, 850., one of said rolls having a groove to receive the partially compressed rail head, and having a groove to receive one of the partially-compressed rail-flanges, and the other of said rolls having two ribs, one opposite each of said grooves, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, the combination, with a pair of compressingrolls, of diagonal guides for causing the passage of the blank obliquely through the rolls, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for reducing railroad-rails, the combination, with a set of three rolls having flat portions for compressing the blank, of two sets of diagonal guides, one of said sets forcausing the passage of the blank obliquely between the middle and upper rolls and the other of said sets for causing the passage of the blank obliquely between the middle and lower rolls, substantially as described.

SIDNEY MCOLOUD. Vitnesses:

G120. P. FISHER, J12, ROBT. H. LEWIS.

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